AI-human 'centaur' era to reshape software jobs, says Anthropic CEO
What's the story
Dario Amodei, the co-founder and CEO of AI start-up Anthropic, has drawn a unique analogy to explain the current state of human-AI collaboration. Speaking on Interesting Times with Ross Douthat podcast, Amodei likened this partnership to a centaur—a mythical creature that is half-human and half-horse. He emphasized how this relationship is evolving in software engineering, much like it did in chess over the last two decades.
Evolution
'Centaur phase' in software engineering
Using chess as an example, Amodei said human-AI collaboration once had the edge, but modern AI can now beat humans on its own. "We're already in our centaur phase for software," he said. He also predicted that this could lead to an increase in demand for software engineers, even if the phase itself may be short-lived.
Job disruption
Concerns over job displacement
Despite the potential increase in demand for software engineers, Amodei expressed concerns about the "big disruption" that AI could bring to entry-level white-collar jobs. He argued that this transition is happening at a much faster pace than previous industrial revolutions, which took centuries or decades. In January, he had predicted that AI could disrupt 50% of entry-level jobs within one to five years.
Automation fears
Divided opinions on AI's impact
Amodei isn't the only one worried about AI's potential to automate jobs. Other top AI lab leaders, including Mustafa Suleyman and Demis Hassabis, have also warned that advanced AI could automate service jobs in the next 18 months. However, some software company executives believe that instead of replacing engineers, AI will make them more productive and lead companies to hire more developers.